A person has died following a residential structure fire Thursday night in Broken Arrow.
According to the Broken Arrow Fire Department, firefighters responded to the fire at approximately 9:42 p.m. on August 6 in the southern part of the city.
A Broken Arrow Police officer was the first to arrive and found flames shooting through the roof of the home. The officer attempted to enter the residence and call out for anyone inside, but intense flames made it impossible to safely enter.
When firefighters arrived, the home was already fully engulfed. Due to the severity of the fire, crews initially launched a defensive attack while also working with Broken Arrow Police to evacuate nearby homes because of the risk of the fire spreading.
Firefighters were able to make a partial entry into the home to conduct a search. However, deteriorating conditions and concerns that the second floor was becoming structurally unstable forced crews to withdraw for their own safety.
The fire was brought under control and extinguished by 10:26 p.m.
In an update released Friday, the Broken Arrow Fire Department confirmed that during the initial search of the home, firefighters located one person inside. The victim was found unresponsive and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family, friends, loved ones, and everyone affected by this tragic loss,” the department said in a statement.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Broken Arrow Fire Marshal’s Office. Officials said no additional information is being released at this time out of respect for the victim’s family and to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
